Liverpool seem to be having a busy time of it in the transfer market. It was always going to be that way. After a season where their aims and objectives seemed to take a wholesale change, this period was bound to be full of activity.

Now they're not a team expected to challenge to get into the Champions League, but a side expected to challenge for the title and compete in the European Cup.

Two signings have been confirmed in Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana from Southampton, whilst Emre Can's arrival from Bayer Leverkusen is to be confirmed after an agreement was reached in principle at the start of June for the midfielder.

There promises to be more players to come. Dejan Lovren, Xherdan Shaqiri and Lazar Markovic have all been linked with the club as the Reds look to kick on from their second place finish last season, whilst also competing the Champions League for the first time in five years.

In their unexpected title challenge last season, their team spirit was hailed as one of their major qualities, the togetherness of a such a small squad, a tight-knit group that pushed Manchester City all the way to the final day.

Inevitably the squad is going to be bigger, competition for places is going to be fierce and tougher as the Reds look to compete on all four fronts next season. Last season, the only real competition for places seemed to be in the centre-back positions.

Brendan Rodgers has a big job integrating new players but it is something the Reds boss seems to be very good at, and there is also the very real possibility that he may have to do without Luis Suarez, as Barcelona are seemingly ramping up their drive to land the Uruguayan who scored 31 goals in the Premier League for the Reds last season.

Keeping that kind of spirit that helped Liverpool so much last season is going to be crucial and it is likely to be more of a challenge with such fierce competition for places. All of the players will get their opportunities, one would think, given the increase in the amount of games the club will play.

It will be a bigger test of his man management skills, whilst there are still other issues to resolve given the future of some of the players, and with some returning from loan spells elsewhere whilst other young players could end up being promoted to first team action in the coming season.

Rodgers has proved he can do it with the small squad, and there is no reason why he won't do it with a bigger group, but it could have its bumps along the way. How he deals with it will be a test of the Liverpool manager's skills.

Ian Bolland

A journalism graduate of Liverpool John Moores University. During his time at university, Ian spent time on work experience at local newspapers in Liverpool, Bolton and Wigan, and prior to that he did work for The Observer's 'fans verdict'. Ian also has interests in news, current affairs and business but mostly sport, including football, rugby league, cricket, golf and Formula 1, amongst others.